Until Death Do Us Part
by BabyRitaVanCartier
Summary: Harry Potter saw Dumbledore die... saw the spell hit him... saw him fall from the balcony... so where is the body? Minvera knows that Albus is alive... she can feel it. But alive where? An alternitive ending to the Half-Blood Prince :
1. Chapter 1: The Letter

**Till Death Do Us Part**

Chapter1: The Letter

"He's dead! I saw him! The spell hit! He fell!" Harry staired in dissbelife at the ground under the balcony where the body of Albus Dumbldoor should lay. There was only grass. Not even a mark to show that a body had once been there. Harry watched as professor Mcgonagall made her way shakelt over to the spot.

"Mr Potter... are you sure that the spell hit him?" she asked. The boy looked into his professors teary green eyes.

"Professor. Snaps spell hit him. Professor Dumbldoor was hit in the chest and throw him over the side of the castly. I saw hid bodr from the balcont. I'm not imagoning it, Professor! Professor Dumbldorr is dead!" He shouted the last sectence and watched as tears fell fast from Mcgonagall's emeralde eyes soaking her face and the front of her robes.

"Come now, Minerva." Wispered Lupin, he wiped his own tears away and put an arm around Mcgonagall.

"Hush now, there's not use in standing out here in the cold crying is there." He turned to the crowd before him "Harry, Hermionie, would you go back to the hospital wing and check on the Weaslys? Horace, Tonks, go back and help with the ignered and the..." he closed his eyes for a moment " dead, see if any more have been identifyed. Hagrid.. i think you better come with us." Lupins eyes fell on the sobbing giant standing behind Harry and Hermionie. Hagrid blew his nose and dryed his eyes.

"You heard!" He rumbled when no body moved. Lupin watched as the crowd disperced.

"Minerva?" He asked gently.

"I'm OK, Remus." She whispered as Lupin walked her back to the castle, Hagrid following close behind. They entered the castle and Minerva stopped she looked around at the ruin inside the school, crumpled rockes scattered around the floor, holes in the walls where the stone shad been blown out, robes that had been torn from the students that fought lay crumpled on the floor at her feet covered in dust. Minerva look around at her beloved school and cryed harder than ever.

"Minerva..." Remus gathered her in his arms and held her close. Minerva pulled away and walked towards the staired to the Headmasters office.

"Where're you goin', P'fessor!?" askes Hagrid as he saw her determind walk.

"He's not dead, Hagrid! If Pottedr saw Albus' body but the body is no longer there then he must be alive!" She approched the stone Gargoyl, the werewolfe and the wizard following behind her.

"Lemon Drops" She said firmly. The gargoyl spang open and she made her way up the steps and into the office above.

"Minerva!" Lupin called after her. He accended the step and ran through the door.

"Keep it down!" shouted one of the Headmasters on the wall.

"Yes we've had quite enough shouting today... and by the looks of things so has she!" The Headmaster pointed across the room to where Minerva sat , curled up in Dumbldoors chair, crying in ernest, a scoll laying, unraveled, in her lap.

"P'fessor?" Hagrid asked. Mierva handed held out the parchment and Hargid took it and gave it to Lupin, who read the familiar slanted writing aloud.

_ "My Dearest Minerva;  
If you are reading this then my plan has worked. If you are reading this then you will beleive that i am dead. As long as there is Hogwarts, and as long as you, my beautiful Minvera, remember me, i shall never die. Know that i do not want to live forever, i have never wanted that. Hogwarts is yours now, my love, this office, our privet quarters, all yours.  
I love you, Minerva.  
Yours eternally, my darling wife.  
Albus Dumbledoor."_


	2. Chapter 2: The Woman On The Wall

**Till Death Do Us Part**

Chapter2: The Woman On The Wall

"I don't understand, Professor…" Hermionie shook her head "Is professor Dumbledoor dead… or alive?"

"Alive."

"Dead!" Harry corrected McGonagall

"Hold on…" mused Fred Weasly. "You and Dumbledoor… are… Married?"

"Yes, Mr Weasly," Minerva replied, her usual collected calmness had returned, hair wound tightly in a bun at the back of her neck, her thin lips held in a servier line. "However our marriage must remain a secret, Albus has many enemies… he thought it was for the best." Lupin rested a comforting hand on McGonagall's shoulder as her voice had started to crack a little.

The Members of The Order of the Phoenix were gathered in the headmasters office, Minerva McGonagall; Remus Lupin; Kingsley Shacklebelt; Ron, Fred, Gorge and Mrs Weasly had left Mr Weasly with Bill in the hospital wing, also present where Harry, Hermionie and, taking up the remaining space in the office, Hagrid.

Surrounding then, murmuring amongst them and interrupting the conversation at intervals, were the portraits of the old Hogwarts headmasters, one of who, the only woman on the wall, was watching Minerva with great interest.

"Professor McGonagall…" started Hermionie. "Harry says that he saw the curse hit Professor Dumbledoor… even if it didn't then the fall from the balcony would have k-…. well… no one could've survived that." The woman on the wall smiled slightly and out of the corner of her eyes Minerva saw her shake her head.

The woman did not look old, not by wearing standards at least… she was about 50, and very pretty, with golden blonde hair that curled into loose rings by her beasts, she was very pale and she had the clearest, bluest eyes that Minerva had every seen. The portrait was done in headmaster's office… yet Minerva was sure that she wasn't a headmistress. The inscription on the bottom of the portrait read 'Chantille LaBelle' _No,_ Minerva thought, _defiantly not a headmistress._ Chantille LaBelle leaned forwards across the desk she was painted behind,

"Excusez-moi," The crowd turned as her melodious French accent filled the room, "I'm sorry for interrupting, but, it seems to me zat you are overlooking zee most important fact."

"What's that?" Harry asked, his eyes, like everybody else's, fixed on the portraits hypnotising face.

"You talk of Albus Dumbledoor! Zee greatest wizard of our time!"

"Who _are you?" Minerva wondered aloud. LaBelle gave a squeak._

"_Oh la la! 'Ow rude of me! My name is Chantille LaBelle. I am… I am Albus' niece… 'is brother's daughter."_

"_You're not dead?" Harry asked_

"_Mais non, Monsieur Potter… and if my uncle Albus was dead zen 'is portrait would be on zee wall… non?" Harry shook his head in bewilderment._

"_I'm sorry… I don't understand.. If you're not dead then how you are in the picture… how are you.." He searched the faces of the people in the room, they were all standing watching LaBelle… transfixed._

"_It is an old magic… like appearing in the flames of a fire.. Or in water… easy." Minerva stepped closer towards the picture. "Ahh… Madame McGonagall… or Dumbledoor… whatever you call yourself… I 'ave something zat my uncle gave to me… I am to give it to you should 'e ever… disappear." LaBelle watched as the older witch's eyes lit up. "Go into the Forbidden Forest," She lent forwards in the frame "Go deep inside until you no longer see zee light, carry on until you loose all hope of ever finding you way out again, then you will see a cottage with black and white roses growing along zee door frame. Enter zee cottage without knocking and go straight to the basement , zer you will find me." LaBelle turned and walked out of her frame._

"_Bloody Hell" Ron murmured, then he flinched as Mrs Weasly's hand came into contacted with his head._

"_Professor McGonagall?" Hermionie touched the professor's arm "Shall we go?" Minerva nodded, she was totally bewildered. _


	3. Chapter 3: Blue Eyes

**Until Death Do Us Part**

Chapter: Blue Eyes

"Minerva?" She opened her eyes and saw first that she had fallen asleep on Albus' desk and second, she saw Remus Lupin, hand resting on her shoulder, shaking her awake.

"Remus.." she smiled groggily and say up in the chair. "Remus, can i ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you think that he's alive?" She studied his face, he looked pale, ill.

"Dumbledoor?" he asked

"Yes,"

"No." The blunt answer cut through McGonagall's heart like cold glass. Lupin slumped on a chair and sighed, his skin was ghostly pale and his eyes were sunken and red, the bags that had began to form under his eyes made him look old and testified to his lack of sleep, as Minerva looked at him she realized that he was still in the same ripped, blood stained robes that he had fought in two days ago.

"Remus? Are you alright?" She paused, waiting for an answer, when she didn't get one she carried on. "Remus. You're worried about Tonks, aren't you. I'm sorry, you've been so kind to me and I've totally forgotten that you have your own problems..."

"No," He sat up straighter and shook his head, "Tonk's is... well she's not dead. I can't imagine what it must be like for you, loving someone and not knowing weather they're dead or alive. It must be torture." McGonagall's looked intently at the table, the things on it were very disorganized, Papers were stacked everywhere, quills placed all over, her fingers longed to put some order to the chaos, but she didn't. It was Albus' chaos and it made her think of him. There was a tap on the window.

"Fawkes!" McGonagall's gasped, _that's it, _she thought, _Albus must be alive!_ She hurried to the window and flung it open. The Phoenix flew through the window and round the office singing loudly and somersaulting in the air. As the two professors watched, their moods lifted, the bird was so full of life, and that was just what they needed the most in a castle so full of death. Fawkes flew gently onto Lupin's shoulder and he laughed out loud as the bird chirruped joyfully in his ear.

"Hello Fawkes," Fawkes turned on Lupin's shoulder and locked eyes with McGonagall.

"Remus... that's not Fawkes..."

"What?"

"Fawkes has red eyes... this Phoenix's eyes are blue." The birds eyes sparkled as it took flight once more, this time to land on McGonagall's outstretched hand. The singing stopped. The bird looked right into McGonagall's eyes... it was like it was looking into her soul.. she could feel all the walls she'd put up around her emotions breaking away,

"Albus!" She gasped. The bird burst into song a new and flapped it's golden wings and sawed into the air, it's song, a sweet ballade, it's colors reflected in McGonagall's teary eyes. She ran for the window... but she was too late. The Phoenix sped forwards and out into the open air. It sawed high above Hogwarts before disappearing into the starry night sky.

O

"Minerva, it was a Phoenix... not Albus... just a phionix gone a stray."

"No, Remus, if you'd looked it in the eye's you would have seen. I'd know those eyes anywhere." Lupin's eyes searched McGonagall's face,

"So, what will you do?" The old witch thought for a moment, unsure, then, she caught sight of the empty picture frame in the corner.

"The Forbidden Forest..." She said, "I'm going to see Chantille LaBelle."

(AN: I've sorted my spelling out but if some of it's still bad then tell me coz my spell check doesn't always work properly. Thanks :) )


	4. Chapter 4: Roses

**Chapter 4: Roses:**

**Wrapped in a tartan blanket, McGonagall shivered as she approached the door to Hagrid cabin. She tapped and jumped back as Fang hurled himself against the large wooden door.**

"**Down Fang! Ged outa it!" Hagrid's voice boomed out into the still night. The door opened and Fang leapt at McGonagall she gasped as Hagrid's hand shot forward and grabbed the dog by it's collar, pulling it into the house and stepping into the cold night air, closing the door behind him.**

"**I'm sorry if I woke you Hagrid but-" Minerva began, Hagrid held up a hand to stop her.**

"**But yer want t' go pay a visit t' tha' Chantille LaBelle… Is tha' right?" McGonagall nodded.**

"**Ok then… but Fang's commin' too."**

***** **

"**What!! Ged lost? In there? On Purpose?"**

"**I'm sure it's not difficult…"**

"**Nah, it's not difficult, no… but it's suicide! There's werewolves, and giants and worse in there!" Hagrid, Minerva and Fang stood at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.**

"**Please Hagrid; I think that this woman can find Albus, I she knows where he's gone!"**

"**PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE IS DEAD!" Fang barked madly at his master's raised voice.**

"**He's alive, Hagrid. I know he is." Hagrid ran a hand over his matted beard.**

"**Why are you so sure, professor?"**

"**Why are you so convinced that he's dead?"**

"**This isn't a good idea."**

"**Hagrid." Minerva's lips set in a line, a determined frown on her face. "I will do this with, or without you. Without will be more dangerous. Even if Albus is dead Chantille LaBelle has something to give me from him and I will go and get it." Without another word she spun on her heal and marched into the forest alone. Hagrid groaned as her watched the determined witch's slender form disappear behind the trees.**

"**Come on then Fang." He sighed as he stomped off after her Fang running at his heals.**

*******

**Minerva shivered. The forest was dark. A furious wind whipped about her face pulling the pins out of her bun. Strange, inhuman, screams rang out all around her. There was a foul stench of damp and rotten flesh that filled the air around her.**

"**Y'all right?" Asked Hagrid as Mcgonagall shivered a second time. The professor pulled her blanket closer around her shoulders.**

"**Just cold."**

"**Horrid, init. An' fer the life o' me I can never shake the feelin' tha' something's watching me." It was true, McGonagall looked around her. TO make it all the more terrifying she was sure that she could her the sound of her name being called and echoing amongst the trees. The darkness seemed to close in on her, it could've been the middle of summer and the sky outside full of light, the sun blazing lightly but the deep darkness of the Forest would not have been affected. McGonagall had no way of knowing how long she's been in there. Her eyes hurt from straining to see, her fingers were purple and aching from cold, her long black hair, now completely loose snagged on branched and bushes.**

"**WOAH!" McGonagall's foot stuck under a tree root that she was sure hadn't been there before and she was sent flying into a bramble bush. She put her head into her hands in disappear.**

"**This is hopeless! You were right we're never going to find LaBelle and now thanks to me-"**

"**Professor,-"**

"**- thanks to me we'll never got out of here and-"**

"**Professor!"**

"**-we'll be her forever! Oh Hagrid I'm so-"**

"**Professor McGonagall!" The half-giant rumbled.**

**McGonagall stopped talking and pulled herself out form the brambles to stand by Hagrid.**

"**Merlin, we made it!" Sure enough, in front of them stood an old cottage, her walls a honey colour with a heavy looking wooden door held with jet black hinges. A path lead to the front door boarded with glowing shimmering rocks and flowers. The house it's self was small and along the honey walls grew creepers and flowers, along the door frames grew roses of brightest white and darkest black.**


	5. Chapter 5: The Ghost Whisperer

Chapter 5: The ghost whisperer

"**Enter the cottage without knocking, go straight to the basement. There you will find me."**

*******

The cottage was cold. Cold and dark. Mcgonagall couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched and as she passes through the wmpty foyer she looked over her shouler and stopped dead.

"Ha-Hagrid." She pointed at the door they had jyst come in thought.

"Blimey…" Hagrid staired. His mind was okaying trickes… it must be… but it wasn't.

"Hello." McGonagall said as she approached the small transparent girl standing at the door, she wore a nightdress and her long hair hung in ringlets around her shoulders, her piercing blue eyes were wide and sad. Her head cocked to one side as McGonagall spock.

"McGonagall? Are you Minerva McGonagall?" Whispered the ghost girl. McGonagall nodded. "I'm… my name is…" She shook her head, a frown playing on her younge face. "You're here to see Chantille… aren't you?" McGonagall was sure that she'd seen the girl before.. She looked ill

"Yes, I am sweetheart… we are." She looked at Hagrid who stood in silence. "I think I've seen you before. Do you sometimes come up o the castle?" She asked gently.

"You know my brother… Chantille told me." When girl stopped moving and Minerva had to squint to see her.

"Who's your brother?"

"Albus… he is called Albus Dumbledore. D'you really know him, Miss?" She asked hopfully. Minerva was lost for words. Her husband's dead sister, the death of whom caused him so much

pain and guilt, had she really been in the Forbidden Forest all the time?

"My Albus, yes I know him. Tell us, darling, how do you get into the basement?"

***

Chantille LaBell. Back in France she was a ledgend. The Gost Keeper, or The Ghost Whisperer. Calling troubled, scarred spirets to her and looking after them. It was by pure coincidence that her father's sister had been on of the ghosts that followed her call, and now her uncle Albus, the most powerful wizard in the world, had vanished. LaBelle sat by the ghost pool in her basement watching the swirling spirets twirl in and out of each other, the candles of one of the four alters in the room casting and unearthly glow across her paper white face. She dipped a red nail into the pool, the souls brushed past her hand, neither liquid, nor gas, but in between the two.

"Mes petites, mes ames. Mon oncle, le pauvre, d'etre perdu dans ce monde de- who's zer?!" LaBelle pulled her hand from the soul pool and watched as the old witch and the half-giant descended the steps. Hagrid gasped, her looked over Minerva's head and staiured at the room in front of them. The basement was large and in each of the four corners stood a beautiful, complex alter. On each of the four alters burned candles of different colours emitting a different, intoxicating scent. In the center of the room the Soul Pool stood , gigantic and round with four marble steps that glowed blue in the soft candle light.

"Blimey." Hagrid muttered as he took in all in. He looked up at the ceiling, it was bewitched to look like the nights sky. LaBelle stood elegantly and floated over to them.

"Madame McGonagall… and Monsieur Rubies 'Agrid, non?"

She smiled and reaching out, took McGonagall's hand and pulled her gently over to one of the alters. The candles on this one were golden and smelled of a spice that McGonagall had never smelled before.

"Ze Goddess of Wisdom.. You know 'er name I think, oui?" McGonagall nodded slowly, the candels were making her sleepy and she was sure that something was lurking in the shadows, not a human, nor a ghost, watching her, waiting.

"Minerva, her name was Minerva." McGonagal's voice was airey and vague, just like the drugged way Chantille LaBelle spoke.

"'E left me something for you Minerva." LaBelle's accent became faint, her eyes flashed, Hagrid stepped forward, something about LaBelle was scarring him. Her eyes widened and her head cocked, slowly to one side.

"What-what did her leave me?" McGonagall whispered.

"_Marianne," _McGonagall frowned, LaBelle was hissing like a snale. She stepped back, this was wrong, something was wrong. _"Bring Minerva McGonagall her pacage. Now."_ A robed figure stepped out from the pool in the centre of the room, her long robes shining, her hair long.. Another ghost, a soul. She walked forwards, in her hands she held a box and a scroll. As she neard McGonagall she held them out. When McGonagall took them the soul cackled insainly and vanished into the fog which clouded the room in white before re-entering the pool. McGonagall looked from LaBelle to a shocked Hagrid.

"Open it." LaBelle suggested. Fingeres shaking McGonagall pulled the ribbon and the scroll unravelled.

"Read it?" LaBelle whipered. Taking a deep breath McGonagall began.

"_**My dearest wife, my charming niece; **_

_**I hope, Minerva, that my dissapearance has not caused you too much angush? As I have told you, Hogwarts is yours now. Chantille LaBelle, my brother's daughter, will help you should you need help during my absence. I have not abandoned you. I may never return but my love for you, Minnie, will stay in my heart forever.**_

_**Chantille, I thank you profoundly for all that you've done and all that you will do to aide Minerva. Only you shall know if I am alive or dead and even then I know that you can not be sure. I beceech you, tell anything you know or think you know to her. **_

_**Yours sincerely and faithfully ;**_

_**Albus Dumbledore.**_

_**Ps. Hagrid, thank you for getting my wife though the Forest safely… please see that she gets back to the casily equally safely, You have my full trust.**_

Hagrid nodded dutifully. Minerva looked over to the beautiful French witch, she wiped a tear from her green eyes.

"Please… do you know anything" McGonagall almost begged.

"Ecoutez… you see ze pool at zee end of the room?" McGonagall nodded. "In zat pool are zee souls of the recently deceased witches and wizards. If my uncle Albus has recently died then zee chances are zat 'e will apear inside." LaBelle watched as Minerva alked slowly up the marble steps and looked casually into the pool, "Professor-"

"Minerva." McGonagall corrected.

"Minerva… was my uncle… I don't know the word… could 'e change into an animal? A phoenix maybe?" McGonagall span round and staired at Chantille. " I only ask because… zis will sound crazy… last night I was in my bedroom and a red and golden phoenix flew through the wondow and sat on my bed. It had my uncles eyes. Blue… I swer it was 'im." McGonagall smiled, her mind made up.

"It was, it was Albus." LaBelle nodded. McGonagall moved slowly over to the sode of the pool and watched the souls swimming restlessly around, winding in and out of each other. Her eyes were filled with tears

"Zee are not zee only ghost here you know." LaBelle whispered to her.

"Albus' sister.. Ariana-"

"Is only one of zem. I have asked them to stay hidden whilst you are here."

"Why? There are ghosts in Hogwarts…"

"Yes. But not like this."


	6. Chapter 6: And Her Ghosts

**CHAPTER 6: …and her ghosts.**

"Tell me about them? The ghosts." McGonagall asked.

"What do you want to know?" LaBelle asked. Minerva thought for a moment. If she was honest, all she wanted to do was to keep LaBelle talking, for some reason she didn't want to leave.

"Why do they come to you?" She started.

"For many reasons. Some are too young to be alone, some to unstable, other's have been alone for their whole lives and are looking for company. Occasionally they come to me looking for dead friends, hoping that zey too are ghosts… zey never are."

"Why're there ghost?" Asked Hagrid, he moved away from the steps and looked into the pool.

"Because…" LaBelle paused to consider her response. "Most of zem died painfully slow deaths. During zee war I 'ad many come to me, telling tales of zee most repulsive suffering." She shuddered at the memory. "A young squib 'ad 'ad zee tendons in 'is ankles slit so zat 'e couldn't walk, zen 'e was tied to a tree and zee Nazis cut a small hole in 'is jugular… he was left to bleed to death."

"They're all wizards?" McGonagall questioned.

"Non. Some are muggle, some are giants," a glance at Hagrid, "I 'ad a unicorn once… so enchanting, zey are such beautiful creatures." McGonagall looked into her face; her eyes were so like Albus'

"Minerva McGonagall?" McGonagall gasped as she turned to see another spirit emerging from the pool, a black-haired scruffy looking man stood in front of her, a sad look on his face.

"B-Black? Sirius Black!" She looked around for a chair but there was none so she fell, instead, onto the side of the pool.

"It's almost light out side. Just so you know." Mcgonagall opened her mouth to speak but all she could manage were some incoherent vowel sounds.

"Merci, Sirius." LaBelle nodded and the spirit of Sirius Black sunk back in amongst the other twirling spirits. "You need, I think, to go back to zee castle, to sleep, and to think." McGonagall nodded "Mais, Madame McGonagall, come back here when you can? Tell me what it is that my uncle sent you in zat package?" Looking down McGonagall saw the parcel, neatly wrapped, clutched in her hands.

"I'd forgotten… I… of course I shall… Thank you, for… everything." She stood and found that she was oddly emotional at the thought of leaving. "If you hear anything…anything from my Albus… you will tell me wont you?" LaBelle nodded causing her long blonde hair to fall over her chalk white shoulders.

"Bien sure, ma belle. Go now, you will need to sleep before tomorrow, I have heard that zee minister for magic will be coming for a surprise visit." McGonagall and Hagrid snapped to attention.

"What?!"

"Oui, tomorrow… around midday."

As McGonagall left the cottage, feeling of desperation and sorrow clouded over the faint glimmer of hope hiding in the depths of her breaking heart.


	7. Chapter 7: I Know Something You Dont Kno

**Chapter 7: I Know Something You Don't Know:**

**Getting out of the forest was as hard as getting in, when McGonagall finally saw the faint lights of the castle she practically ran to the edge of the depressing place. Thanking Hagrid and making t**

**Her was back to the castle she began then realise how tiered she was. When she got to Dumbledore and her privet rooms she slipped into the warm bed with a comforted sigh. As she drifted off to sleep she felt a soft kiss on her forehead and heard a deep voice wishing her a good night, but before she could distinguish reality from dream, she was asleep. McGonagall's dreams were haunted with faces of witches and wizards, contorted in pain, dieing slowly, watching their own blood dipping down their bodies and staining their clothes. Dreams of Albus Dumbledore, her husband, the man she loved, being tortured to death. She woke with a star tears running down her face. She sat up in their bed, alone, without her love's arms to hold her as she cried. Then she thought of the package Dumbledore had left for her. She got out of bed and took it off of the dressing table. It wasn't heavy, but it was big, she sat down and slowly tore off the paper around it. Sitting on her lap was a mirror, golden and studded with emeralds green as the Scottish witches breath taking eyes, attached to it was a note:**

"**Albus Dumbledore." **

"**Albus Dumbledore." She read out loud, she stared as the glass of the mirror clouded over.**

"**Oh, my!" The glass was clearing to reveal an old man, his wrinkled face smiling slightly. He shook his long white hair away from his eyes and pushed his waist length beard over his shoulder. Albus Dumbledore winked at his wife,**

"**I love you, Minerva." He whispered. The fog came back clouding the mirror once more.**

"**NO! ALBUS! DON'T GO! PLEEASE DNT LEAVE ME AGIN!!" McGonagall begged desperately as his face faded from view, this time, when the glass cleared, it was only her own tear stained face desperate and heart broken, looking back at her. **

"**Albus Dumbledore… Albus Dumbledore!" Nothing. The reflection didn't change and McGonagall closed her eyes and concentrated hard on his face. His twinkling blue eyes, his deep voice. His words: I love you. She could hear him in her head. How could he just leave her again like that? She felt a sudden urge to throw the mirror as hard and as far as she could, but she didn't. Albus, she thought, you are alive, aren't you.**

"**Minerva!" McGonagall opened her eyes sleepily. It was morning, six thirty AM to be exact.**

"**Professor Minerva! Wakey wakey!" The annoying chanting of her name was coming from the ceiling of her room. Rolling over Mcgonagall glared up into the black beams.**

"**Peeves!" She sighed exasperatedly. "What do you want?!" She snapped at the poltergeist who stopped his silly chanting of "Wakey wakey, risey shiny!" and turned to face her (meaning her turned completely upside down and floated so that he was only a few centimetres away from the Professors face)**

"**I know something you don't know doo daa doo daa I know something you don't know o' dee doo daaa dayyy!" He sang.**

"**For goodness sake! I don't have time for this!" McGonagall sat up and, pushing right through the pesky peeves, got out of her bed and stomped to the wardrobe. She wasn't usually this bad tempered in the morning… in fact she found the song of the birds and the soft morning glow of the sun quite lovely, but there was something about being woken up by peeves at stupid-o'clock in the morning that made her want to take a run and jump right out of the castle windows!**

"**I know something you don't kn-"**

"**PEEVES!" She shouted cutting off his ridiculous song "If you are not going to tell me what practically it is you know that I do not then kindly get out of my room so I can get dressed."**

"**It's a secret" He flicked the light switch on and off on and off. McGonagall sighed, "A secret… a big secret… about Dumberlydoor!" McGonagall snapped to attention.**

"**Dumbledore? A secret?!" Peeves somersaulted round to room cackling madly.**

"**Oooooh" He hissed on between bouts of insane laughter. "Miss Professor is interested now, aren't you?" He shouted gleefully. "If only you knew… but, seeing as you're so desperate for me to leave…"**

"**No!" McGonagall jumped as he flew for the door. "What is it? What do you know that I don't!?" Peeves turned around slowly, a mischievous smile playing on is joker face.**

"**It'll cost you! What's in it for me?" McGonagall was loosing her patience again.**

"**Peeves. If you do not tell me then I shall go up to the astronomy tower, find the Bloody Baron and-" **

"**I've seen him!" Peeves said quickly. "Saw him in the kitchens with the house elves, didn't I." McGonagall opened her eyes wide as she processed this information, then, faster that she's ever moved before, she grabbed her wand, waved it in front of her, her night dress transformed into long flowing Emerald robes.**

"**When? How long ago did you see him?" She asked waving her wand over her hair.**

"**About five minuets ago." McGonagall ran out of her bedroom door, her long black hair arranging it's self into a tight bun at the back of her neck. She ran at full speed down the stone steps (hoping all the while that they wouldn't change) pas her classroom right down into the basements where the kitchens were kept. She pushed open the hidden door and skidded into the room. A hundred house elves jumped out of her way as she stopped in front of the ovens.**

"**Professor Mcgonagall!" squeaked a little house elf dressed in brightly knitted cloths.**

"**Dobby! Is it true? Was her here? Was Professor Dumbledore Here?!" Dobby bit his lip and shook his head like and elephant with flees.**

"**Dobby! Tell me!" McGonagall ordered, the elf stopped shaking his head **

"**Dobby mustn't. Not aloud to tell! Dobby will be sent away!"**

"**No, no Dobby. You can tell me Ok only me, nothing will happen to you I promise. Was he here?! Dobby's wrinkled head shook from side to side slowly, his eyes wide, staring over McGonagall's shoulders airing intently at something… or someone. Turning, ever so slowly, she found her self, at last, face-to-face with a tall man, long hair and white beard thrown over his shoulder.**

"**Albus!" For a moment a feeling of joy that she'd never felt before came over her, but it was pushed aside quickly by a feeling of dread, fear that nobody should ever endure. "ALBUS!" He was slumped on the floor, pale, with his blackened hand, withered and dead in his lap. At the sound of his name, he looked up, McGonagall gasped at the gashes on his wise old face and the blood congealed in his beard, turning it to a dirty copper red. He opened his mouth to speck but all that he could manage was a slow painful breath. McGonagall stood, frozen still, watching as he struggled to lit himself from the floor. She roused herself and stepped forwards, wrapped her arm around him and helped him to his feet.**

"**Min." he groaned.**

"**Shhh, I'm here… we'll get you to Poppy, she'll help-" Albus lifted a shaking finger to silence his wife.**

"**Hagrid's cabin. Chantille is waiting. Let her… help." His voice, lower that the quietist whisper, sent shivers of terror down her spine.**

"**Ok, Hagrid's cabin." She shifted Dumbledore's weight onto her hip, he was too heavy for her to carry, and someone would be sure to see him if her limp through the castle. Same if they flew. McGonagall looked around her at the little house elves. House elves. Apperation. It was their only option.**

"**Albus? I need you to take the charms off of the castle. We need to be able to apperate." Albus nodded. He pulled his wand out from his cloak and began mumbling complicated enchantments in latin and greek, a moment passes, and then he was finished.**

"**Hagrids cabbin." he was doubled over in McGonagall's armes and groaning, almost unable to breath. McGonagall nodded and concentrated with all her might. Holding tight to Dumbledore she twisted around, pulling his weak body with her. Bands tightened around her chest , a horrible, dizzy feeling came over her as she fought to get air into her starvig lungs, she held the image of Hagrid's cabbin in her mind and then, it was over.**

"**Stay here." She gaspt as the cold night air filled her lungs once more. She sat Dumbledore down on the cool stone steps and banged on Hagrid's door. It swung open at once and McGonagall was pulled inside, Hagrid pushed past her and scooped Dumbledore up into his arms and carried him through the door, slamming it shut behind him.**

**The curtins in the house were drawn and a fire blazed brightly next to the huge table. Fang lay sleeping in the corner, only his face visible in the orange glow. Opposite the table on the othersiede of the fire, was an enormous sofa and two huge arm chairs, it was on the former that Hagrid now lay a broken Dumbledore.**

**McGonagall looked around the room, searching for whoever had pulled her inside. As she looked she saw crystal blue eyes staring at her from the shadows. The eyes had horizontal slits for pupils. McGonagall recognized them as cat's eyes, a big cat for the eyes were almost waist height on her. She stepped backwards, as she did so the eyes advanced on her and a cat appeared, large and white, from the shadows. The fire reflected in its slit pupils, the orange flames surrounded by ocean blue. The cat bowed its beautiful head; it was a snow leopard, its white coat shining in the firelight. McGonagall stood, unable to move as the leopard crouched down, raised it's long tail in the air and then, without warning, it pounced, flying ay McGonagall, claws out and teeth bared and sharp. The leopard growled and hissed, it landed on all fours pushing the old witch to the floor and scratching at her face and neck and torso, it's teeth ripping at her thick cloak until suddenly-**

"**ENOUGH!" Albus Dumbledore's voice, faint but commanding, echoed out into the room. The deadly leopard stopped. "Leave her alone." He commanded. The leopard retracted her claws, stepped gracefully off of McGonagall's bleeding body. Dumbledore sat up as straight as his wounds allowed. "Come here, Chantille." McGonagall gave a start as the leopard pounced once more, but this time she transformed. Her white fur became long golden hair, her slender form became that of a woman, her slit blue eyes, still shining, became human, until, stood in the centre of the room was Chantille LaBelle, eyes blazing with fury, hands trembling, at her uncle's side.**

"**You… you attacked me!" McGonagall couldn't hide her shock. LaBelle turned away form her, her eyes on her uncle's bloody body.**

"**What 'appened, uncle? What did zis to you?" She pushed Dumbledore's beard over his shoulder to keep it away from the blood.**

"**I cannot tell you, Chantille. I think you owe Minerva an apology." His voice drifted, his eyes closed, his skin was grey and the twinkle gone from his eyes. LaBelle reached into her black and pink robes and pulled out a wand. The wand was thin and made from crystal; it reflected the orange of the flames. She pushed the tip of it to Dumbledore's deepest wound. It heeled. The blood stopped. Then it re-appeared even deeper than before and the blood flowed darker and faster. Hagrid and McGonagall watched in horror as Fang, who'd woken up when LaBelle had attacked, lollopped lazily forward and started lapping nosily at the bloody that continued to splash onto the cobbled floor. McGonagall reached out and took the dog by the collar and with an enormous effort pulled it away.**

"**FANG" rumbled Hagrid, "BED." The dog hung its head and stalked off to its bed by the fire.**

**LaBelle was mumbling under her breath, the wand tip glowed first pink, then blue, then red. Each time the gash heeled, the blood stopped. Each time it opened again, deeper, bleed more profoundly. After ten minuets of this LaBelle swore loudly in French and spun on her heal to face McGonagall.**

"**You," her eyes blazed in frustration, "You must know 'ow zis 'appened. 'Oo did zis to 'im!? What did zis to 'im!?" McGonagall took a step back her head held high, she would not let herself be intimidated by a witch 30 years her junior!**

"**If I'd known how my husband got like this then I would have treated him myself, not brought him out in the freezing cold to see you." She scolded as though talking to a student. She look closely at Dumbledore's limp body, thought of his frail voice. "Can you help him?" LaBelle pulled a chair towards the sofa and sat carefully.**

"**I don't know. Zis is complicated, I'm trying." McGonagall sighed and reached out to stroke her husband snowy white hair.**

"**Thank you." she whispered**

"**I'm not doing it for you."**

"**I know." **


	8. Chapter 8: The Minister

**Chapter 8: The Minister**

McGonagall was totally taken aback by LaBelle. When they'd been in the cottage with her… well she's not exactly been nice, but she'd not tried to kill her, she hadn't had that look in her eyes, LaBelle's eyes were so much like Dumbledore's, blue, intelligent, she'd never seen them angry before. The Cold Fury LaBelle had shown. McGonagall turned to the fire and tried to loose herself in the flames.

"Professor? Are yer alright?" Hagrid asked. McGonagall opened her eyes and blinked at the brightness from the fire. She's fallen asleep.

"I'm fine." She smiled groggily. She span around to face him she noticed that LaBelle's fur lined cloak was draped around her keeping her warm.

"Did you-?" She asked gesturing to the cloack. Hagrid shook his head and nodded to LaBelle.

"Yer were shiverin'. She just got up and wrapped yer in it."

McGonagall got to her feet and walked to Chantille LaBelle's side.

"Thank you." she said holding out the cloack to her. The Beautiful witch shook her head.

"Keep eet. You Look frozen."

"Thank you." McGonagall repeated quietly. She stood for a while, wrapped in the fur, and watched the mysterious French witch. LaBelle ran her wand once more over Dumbledore's body.

"Madame Mcgonagall-"

"Minerva."

"Minerva, I don't mine you watching, but please, sit down? You are making me nervous."

McGonagall pulled a chair towards her and sat besides LaBelle.

"Merci." she mumbled.

"You're welcome." McGonagall murmured back. LaBelle smiled slowly to herself

"Can I help? I hate sitting here doing nothing whilst he-he…" McGonagall faltered.

"Dies?"

"Yes." LaBelle shook her head slowly.

"Zer is nothing you can do. Unless of course these," she pointed her wand to the gashes on her uncle's skin, "can be transfigured." Her voice was low and soft but there was something hidden in it… a herd hatred that Mcgonagall didn't understand.

"S'cuse me?" The two witches turned to face Hagrid who was looking out of the window. "The minister of Magic is here…" He pointed out to the grounds Fudges green bowler hat came into view behind a tree flowed by Scrimgeor and the shocking red hair of Percy Weasly.

"'E cannot see me!" LaBelle panicked "Minerva, you 'ave to get rid of 'im!" McGonagall leapt up, she'd never get there fast enough.

"Tabby." Dumbledore's faint voice rose from the sofa. McGonagall nodded and quickly transformed into the little tabby cat. Hagrid opened the door and she ran at full speed across the vast amount of grass separating her from Fudge, The Minister and Percy.

"Aw look Mr Weasly, a little tabby cat!" Fudge reached down and picked McGonagall up and waved her paw at Percy Weasly "She's a cute little thing isn't- OUCH!" McGonagall pulled her teeth and claws out of the ex-minister's arm and leapt to the floor where she transformed once more.

"Professor McGonagall?! You bit me!"

"Never pick up strange animals, they may be vicious." She warned. "Minister, Mr Weasly."

"Professor." Percy offered his hand and McGonagall briefly shock it, the Fudges, slightly bloody hand, she completely ignored Scrimgeor out stretched digits.

"Why is it Rufus, that you the ministry only turns up when Albus Dumbledore is either away, acting… rashly, or dead?" Scrimgeor laughed humourlessly.

"You know Minerva, you wee always a good Auror. Why did you leave?"

"To get away from you." The smile fell from his face and he straightened to his full height.

"Very well. We are here because of a… tip off that a very dangerous witch is hiding on the school grounds. Here." he shoved a newspaper cutting roughly into McGonagall's hand. As she read it her frown deepened,

" _**The Ghost Charmer**_

_Ghost Charmer they call her, but Chantille LaBelle has a secret. The niece of recently deceased Albus Dumbledore, LaBelle comes from noble family. Her father, Aberfourth Dumbledore and her mother, French witch Carmen LaBelle gave her a happy childhood so it is a mystery why, at the impressionable ago of just 15, Chantille LaBelle became heavily involved in The Dark Arts. At the age of 16, LaBelle came to England and began a 'relationship' with a young Tom Riddle (the original name of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Names) and was drawn into his circle. Although she was never branded with The Dark Mark, LaBelle is rumoured to have viciously and cold bloodedly murdered over 100 muggles 50 witches and wizards. She is believed to be hiding in the grounds surrounding Hogwarts School Of - continued on pages 16-17 and 18._

"

McGonagall took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the name: Tom Riddle. Tom Marvello Riddle.

"LaBelle was engaged to the young Riddle. "Scrimgeour was saying.

"You think she's working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"Minerva," Fudge broke in, he was hesitant, like he wanted to break something to her gently, and McGonagall didn't like it at all. "She never married You-Know-Who. Just before she could… He found out about her uncle, Dumbledore, he fought with him… the story goes that-"

""I know the story," the old witches face was pale. She reached into her mind and found the fairytale her mother used to tell her when she was a small child. "Once apone a time a beautiful witch from a good and powerful family, fell in love with an evil wizard. The witches uncle and her lover were bitter enemies so when the wizard asked the witch to marry him she knew that she could never let her family know. But one day, the beautiful witch's uncle came to try to and stop the evil wizard. In a horrific duel, the good wizard was badly hurt.

"Uncle!" The witch cried. The evil wizard then knew her secret. He tortured his fiancée and took out her heart. He made her the ugliest thing in the world she was not alive, for she had no heart, but she would never die. She decided the take care of the souls of the dead whilst she lived forever in eternal agony, her soul calling out for … for…" Scrimgeor nodded gravely.

"For the death of the man who stood between her and her love." he finished for her. McGonagall rolled her eyes.

"So you see Minerva," Fudge said "if Dumbledore is still alive, he could be in great danger from this woman, and seeing as she's his brother's daughter and Dumbledore's -"

"Dumbledore's incapability to see the bad in people… I'm sorry, Minister, but this is ridiculous. The is a fairy story, a story invented to scare little children."

"But LaBelle-"

"I believe that the murders you accuse Chantille LaBelle of having committed have never been traced back to her?" She asked Scrimgeour.

"Well no. But-"

"And I take it you have no proof that she has been any where near He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named since she chose not to marry the teenage Tom Riddle?"

"No we don't however-"

"Then I am sorry gentlemen but I don't see how you could possibly believe this tosh. If I see LaBelle I shall inform you immediately." She turned on her heel, transformed once more, and ran back across the grounds to Hagrid's house.

When she got there McGonagall jumped through the open window and landed on the arm of the large sofa. Chantille LaBelle, back in her leopard form, was laying next to Dumbledore, her warm body pressed tightly against his cold one. She opened her eyes as McGonagall appeared at the window and watched her as she climbed off the arm and curled up on Albus' shoulders.

"Are they gone?" Hagrid asked. McGonagall lifted her tail in the air and nodded her head to the best of her ability.

"_Zey told you?" _Chantille's voice rang out inside McGonagall's head making her fur stand on end and the tip of her tail twitch. _"About Tom?"_

"_Yes. It's all over the papers."_ The small cat thought back. The beautiful snow leopard's ocean blue eyes widened in shock.

"_In zee papers!"_

"_Yes… in The Prophet…" _ They lay in silence for a long time before Chantille 'spoke' making Tabby jump in fright.

"_It's true. About the fight. About me, and Tom." _If McGonagall was shocked then in her tabby form she couldn't show it. LaBelle didn't give her a chance to reply before, _"Uncle was cold."_

"_Yes," _McGonagall nuzzled lovingly into her husbands neck, _"I know"_


End file.
